festivalPass Stories

“Festival Pass Stories” Podcast host, Pat Tully, takes another deep dive into the work that is done behind the scenes of festivals. In this week’s episode, Kate Levenstien, CEO and Founder of Cannonball Productions joins the show!

Similar to many other festival companies, Cannonball Productions has experienced their fair share of complications and roadblocks during the last few months of the pandemic. But that hasn’t stopped Kate and her awesome team from putting in the required work, hoping to get people enthusiastic about live events again. Kate and Pat talk about facing the challenges of putting on festivals during Covid, and how she believes that Cannonball Productions will spearhead the charge back to normalcy in live entertainment. 

As native New Yorkers, Kate and Pat share stories of a simpler time in the big city, when people were able to enjoy all that it had to offer. They talk about their favorite venues, events, and restaurants; even ones that may not survive the onslaught of the pandemic. They feel it is so important that we are there for each other during this time, and patronize the businesses that we love. This episode highlights a number of ways that you can support your local eateries, events, and venues that are being affected the most.

No slogan has caught on more in the city than, “New York Strong”. Kate shares with the audience how her family, and her team have put their strength on full display as of late. Our host has a knack for getting his guests to open up; so get ready to feel the full array of emotions in this one. It’ll pull at your heart strings, and make you laugh out loud before it’s done. If you enjoy convos on beer, bacon, gardening, and hard seltzer…then buckle up! 

“People have that ‘X-Factor,’ and if you know them personally, you can just tap into that.” Kate Levenstien

You can find Kate on:

Instagram-  https://www.instagram.com/katelev/ 

Twitter-  https://twitter.com/katelev1?lang=en 

Cannonball Productions- http://www.cannonballproductions.com

Seltzer Land- https://www.seltzerland.com

Connect with Festival Pass!

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival

Website - https://festivalpass.com/

In this episode of Festival Pass Stories our host Pat Tully and his guest, Chris Zacher, Levitt Pavilion Denver, COVID-19 and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA). 

Chris Zacher is the Founder and Executive Director of the Levitt Pavilion Denver, a non-profit organization established to grow a community through music. Located in Ruby Hilly park, just Southwest of downtown, the Levitt Pavilion Denver free concert series is the most popular event held at the amphitheater. With a maximum capacity of 7,500, Levitt Pavilion puts on 50 free, high-quality live concerts annually. Levitt Pavilion Denver  focuses on bringing together community, family, friends and neighbors of all ages and backgrounds by making live music free and accessible to everyone. 

One of the staples of live music in Denver is the summer concert series, City Park Jazz Festival. After Chris joined the City Park Jazz Festival group in 2006 the group began to reimagine what the event could be in order to increase attendance. In 2006, the attendance of City Park Jazz With Chris’s help, in two years time the attendance at the ten week festival increased from 500 people a week to 12,000 people a week.  

In 2013, Chris was recognized by the Denver Business Journal as one of Denver’s “Forty Under 40” for his commitment and leadership to Denver’s nonprofit community. He was named one of the Four Most Influential People in Denver Entertainment in 2014 by AXS.com. In 2015, Chris was given the inaugural Cultural Leadership Award from the Colorado Business Committee for nation, and international recognition from multiple prestigious organizations, including; Pollstar, Billboard, Westword and 5280 Magazine. 

Pat and Chris discuss COVID-19, the future of events and what the security measures for major venues will look like moving forward. Chris serves as Co-Captain for the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) in Colorado and is a member of the Arapahoe Community College Music Audio Technology Advisory Committee. NIVA is an organization representing over 2,000 independent venues and small and medium stages in all 50 states. Nationally they are working  on a “Restart Act” with Congress which would provide additional funding for small and medium businesses most affected by COVID, including businesses in the arts & entertainment industry. In addition, they are putting together an Emergency Relief Fund to save as many venues across the United States as possible. 

About Chris Zacher:

Chris is a champion for accessible live music for all. He is credited with the sustainability and overwhelming popularity of City Park Jazz Festival, serving as Vice President and President from 2006-2014. In 2012, Chris founded Levitt Pavilion Denver.

In addition to serving as the Executive Director of Levitt Pavilion Denver, Chris is a lecturer at the University Of Colorado Denver (UCD) working in the College of Arts and Media (C.A.M) in the Music and Entertainment Industry Studies program. 

Chris changed career paths from accounting and finance to the music industry and has a vast amount of experience in accounting, budgeting, crisis management, contracting, community outreach, public speaking, and fundraising.

You can find Chris Zacher on:

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-zacher-97905615/

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/LevittPavilionDenver/

Instagram- https://www.insstagram.com/levitt_denver/

Twitter- https://twitter.com/LevittDenver

Website- https://www.levittdenver.org/

Website- https://www.nivassoc.org/

Check out the hashtag  #saveourstages on social media to find out more about fundraising opportunities to help NIVA.

Connect with festivalPass!

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/

Twitter- https://twitter.com/pass_festival

Website- https://festivalpass.com/stories 

Join our host Pat Tully as he chats with Brett Friedman about organizing next-level culinary events. Brett is the CEO and founder of Agency 21 Consulting; specializing in the creation, development and organization of special events for both corporate and nonprofit entities. He shares how he became a part of one of the largest culinary festivals in the country- South Beach Food and Wine Festival as well as what’s keeping him occupied during the pandemic. 

Brett feels that working for Alonzo Mourning jump started his career in events. As someone who has worked in the world of culinary entertainment for years, Brett feels that food and spirits are great connectors that bring people together. 

Brett tells Pat that there are many driving factors that contribute to a successful event, the main one being location. He gives the example of South Beach Food and Wine festival being a location within a location- people come to enjoy the event in an incredible location.

In addition, the talent and the energy is what brings guests together for a culinary experience unlike any other. Although many virtual events have come to fruition in the last few months, Brett feels that they are just temporary bandaids for this unprecedented time. He is hopeful that future festivals will not only return but will come back with gusto after months of having to pivot and innovate in order to survive.

About Brett Friedman: 

• From: Miami, FL
• College/University: University of Florida (Bachelors), Nova Southeastern University (Masters) 
• Fun Facts: Lover of wine and all things whiskey. Is a history NUT, okay, NERD. Brett collects original WWI vintage posters. He is an animal lover with 3 dogs (and counting)!
• Greatest Achievement: Benign the father of his son, Jake

You can find Brett on 

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-friedman-51136019/

Website- http://www.agency21consulting.com/

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/agency_21/?hl=en

Twitter- https://twitter.com/a21consulting?lang=en

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/Agency-21-Consulting-136308976472895/

Connect with festivalPass!

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/

Twitter- https://twitter.com/pass_festival

Website- https://festivalpass.com/stories 

Host Pat Tully “sat down” from a remote studio with Nedda Saltani, the Director of Lifestyle and Talent PR for EFG PR.  

Nedda has spent a career in and around festivals. She was a fan first, then made her passion her profession.  

As a lifelong competitive figure skater, she made the move from competing to coaching at 18. Nedda had a natural public relations vibe to everything she did. She was also an avid fan of Electronic Dance Music (EDM) and live DJ performances. As she attended shows and music festivals around the country, Nedda's DJ friends began to ask for her professional help in promoting them.  

As the DJ world exploded in 2009, the biggest night clubs in the US were recruiting EDM DJ’s to come to NYC, Vegas and Miami. Nedda went on the road helping DJ friends and went from the comfortable world of figure skating, to being on tour with EDM artists for months at a time.  

From the world of representation, she moved into PR and branding, a natural move for her to represent brands and talent as well.  

At LiveNation she worked with the Insomniac brand, concentrating on dance music and connecting brands to the demographic of the attendees.  

The discussion turns to how brands should engage with festivals, festival attendees and the safety of those attendees. Brands now have an opportunity to concentrate on those procedures to show attendees that they care about their health and safety. Nedda feels that due to the pandemic, standard safety procedures at large events will change forever.

These days, brands can easily miss the mark on messaging. Nedda and Pat explain how a brand can stay relevant, have a socially conscious message and effectively market their products and services. 

Pat and Nedda examine how brands can be associated with social justice initiatives at festivals now and in the future. 

As the talk comes back to EFG PR, Nedda discusses the current state of the world, and how they are aligning brands and talent through social media. She also touches on how they are utilizing their media brands to keep them relevant and authentic. 

The challenges for the rest of the year and next year are complicated for brands and fans at festivals. Listen to the complete episode to get Nedda’s expert insight on how she is helping her clients navigate these unchartered waters.  

Quotes: 

“Brands need to find ways outside the norm to engage with attendees.”  

“Ultimately the key thing is how authentic and how invested is it. Is it a temporary give or is is something that will create long term change?”  

“There is no feeling like looking around at 100,000 people who are all aligned” 

“Festival season, as you know, is a thing.”  

Links:  

Entertainment Fusion Group: https://www.efgpr.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/efgpr/ 

Craig Posey and Ryan Houston are the founders of RCE Entertainment and Black Voices, an LA event series that showcases black artists in all forms from dance, to music, spoken word and film.  

The conversation begins with Craig and Ryan telling Pat the story behind Black Voices and what the term “Black Voices” means today. As Artists themselves, they wanted to highlight all forms of art in the Black Community. 

 As the platform started to grow, they quickly realized that through their network of like-minded people, there could be crossover opportunities for networking and singles night. They created a twist on the Taco Tuesday concept called ‘Let’s Taco ‘bout Love” a fun and lighthearted way to bring people together through food and drink to discuss relationships and dating in LA. 

The conversation soon turned to social injustice issues of the day following the murder of George Floyd and how they could use the Black Voices platform to allow people tell their important stories of injustice and also stories of how they are using their artform to share stories of positivity during this historic moment in our nation.

The conversation continues to the Juneteenth holiday and how, until recently, it was not a widely discussed holiday, celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States. 

Black Voices is adapting during Covid-19, Quarantine and going virtual to keep their positive message going and growing while providing good content across platforms like Zoom.  

Craig also talks about his life as a talent rep and how he has found virtual opportunities for his artists as well.

Quotes:

“We wanted to create a space where artists could learn and actually talk to people”  

“The life of an event is being there.”  

Links: 

https://festivalpass.com/stories

Black Voices on Instagram @blk.voices     

RCE Entertainment on Instagram @rce_la  

Episode Intro Music by Joakim Karud - http://www.joakimkarud.com

Stephen Sternschein is the Managing Partner of Heard Presents Entertainment, owners of Austin, TX music venues, Empire Control Room, Empire Garage and The Parrish. 

Pat and Stephen discuss a mutual connection in Volunteer Lawyers for The Arts (VLA), the leading legal aid and education organization dedicated to New York artists and its arts and cultural organizations. Stephen was an intern for VLA during the early days of streaming music and the challenges that would present to artists and their revenue stream, while Pat raises money for them as an Auctioneer so they can continue supporting and protecting the creative community of New York City.   

The discussion turns to social injustice and the current state of civil unrest in the Cities of New York and Austin, where both men live and touches on the need for societal change and the feeling that change seems to finally be in the air.  

Stephen’s talks about his career from being an artist himself, to a lawyer in the music industry, to a venue owner and achieving his career dream of “having music in his life every day.” 

Stephen’s career in music has come full circle and his businesses helps artists stand up their live music and revenue stream, teach them how to promote shows and engage their social media outlets and followers in an intelligent and creative way, while also helping them to make the connections and take their art outside of the Austin market and onto the National scene. He sees a sense of community amongst the other local venue promoters and owners and helps them expand their audience and promote local artists, while helping to bring national talent to the stages in Austin.  

Stephen and other small stage venue owners started a nonprofit coalition called NIVA (National Independent Venue Association) who’s mission is to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent live music venues and promoters throughout the United States. Although the organization just launched in March 2020, they have over 2,000 charter members across all 50 states.  

The conversation naturally turns to how the pandemic and Covid-19 has affected live music and how we can find the road back to eventually reopening. Stephen expounds on what the future of live music events could look like post-pandemic, while discussing the idea of incorporating social justice initiatives in all festivals and live gatherings of people around the arts.  

Get the latest updates here! Follow festivalPass on Instagram.

Quotes:

"I don't agree with what's happening in Texas Currently"

"The thing about NIVA - In 8 weeks we have gone from not existing to having representatives from our organization in every congressional district in the country."

It had always been an option to add a charitable component to live events...I don't think it is an option anymore."

Links:

Volunteer Lawyers for Arts

Heard Presents

NIVA

Save Our Stages

Episode Intro Music by Joakim Karud - http://www.joakimkarud.com

Join Pat Tully and New York Rangers’ defenseman #8, Jacob Trouba, on Festival Pass Stories. Each game is a different festival in itself. Vendors and people are coming in to see each battle. The teams, production, and security all have their own preparation to do! It’s basically everything that goes on in a regular festival. The energy levels are also varied, with Saturday nights with rival teams getting more intense emotion and action more than others. They talk about life as a hockey player, activities during the pandemic, and a promising return of the NHL to the ice.

Jacob’s personal preparation has been consistent since he’s started playing – get a light warm-up for about 20 to 30 minutes. Even the pregame food is always the same! He’d get salmon and brown rice then some chicken and avocado. While it gets monotonous and boring, the fun is found in the game anyways! It’s the same thing with festivals. Most of the fun you get is when you give people a good show and after all the hard work. The secret to getting that fulfillment is by staying consistent! As the NBA comes close to playing again, Jacob is excited for the NHL to get back on the ice. If you want to hear more, head on over to the podcast!

“I don't feel like I've lost any love. I'm ready to go back and play again…” – Jacob Trouba. Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories

About Jacob Trouba:

Trouba has many of the qualities NHL teams want in a defenseman: toughness, solid skating ability and a hard, heavy shot, so it's not surprising Trouba was selected by the Winnipeg Jets with the No. 9 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft.

He made his NHL debut in the Jets' 2013-14 season opener at the Edmonton Oilers. At 19, the Rochester, Michigan, native scored his first NHL points, getting a goal and an assist while playing a team-high 25:02 in a 5-4 victory.

Despite being stretchered off the ice during his eighth NHL game and then missing 17 games because of a neck injury, Trouba finished second among rookie NHL defensemen with 10 goals and tied for third with 29 points. He also led all rookies in average time on ice per game (22:26) and ranked third in scoring among Jets defensemen. Trouba finished sixth in voting for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the League's top rookie.

On Dec. 3, 2014, Trouba had a hand in all three Winnipeg goals in a 3-2 win against Edmonton, scoring the first goal and assisting on the other two. That performance highlighted an eight-game stretch during which Trouba had two goals and nine points. He finished 2014-15 second among Winnipeg defensemen with seven goals and third in that group with 22 points. His 120 blocked shots ranked second on the Jets.

Trouba also played in all four games of Winnipeg's Western Conference First Round Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks.

He was traded to the New York Rangers by the Jets on June 17, 2019, and in his first game with New York scored one goal and had two assists against his former team.

Outline of the Episode:

• A different festival for each game.
• Huge rivalries and the energy from the fans.
• Consistent pregame routines, with the same pregame food every time!
• Jason’s soccer history. You won’t believe how it’s normal for hockey players!
• Walking in Madison Square Garden’s visitor’s room.
• MSG quiz: what’s the first festival that’s held in the famous venue?
• Things to do in New York – it’s always about the best food you could ever have!
• Planning for a wedding during the pandemic. How has COVID-19 changed his plans?
• When is hockey coming back? The NBA says they’re making a comeback!
• Playing without the energy of the fans. It’s definitely a different experience.
• Taking a photo with the Lord Stanley Cup but NOT touching it!
• The love for hockey is still the same. Everybody is ready to start playing again.
• What do the Rangers need to do when they hit the ice again? It’s an open battle!

Resources:

• Jacob’s Instagram
• Jacob’s Twitter
• New York Rangers
• New York Islanders

Connect with Festival Pass!

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Website

If you’ve ever been on the hunt for live events in NYC, your eyes have most certainly skimmed the words, “(Le) Poisson Rouge.” A music scene mainstay since 2008, LPR, as it’s affectionately known, hosts acts from punk to classical, burlesque to Broadway. It’s no accident their event calendar reads like a cultural roll of the dice. As founder Justin Kantor puts it, “We wanted to reframe the question of what is considered culture,” intentionally hosting a wide array of performances from high art to low, and everything in between. 

12 years and one pandemic later, Justin is doing his best to keep LPR and similar ventures going strong, noting that independent venues contribute to the economic and cultural mosaic of a city in a way that few other businesses can.

Thanks for listening!

Get the latest updates here! Follow festivalPass on Instagram.

Quotes

“In our case what makes things really weird is that we come from classical music.” 

“It’s not about a party, it’s about what’s going on onstage.”

“We wanted to reframe the question of what is considered culture.”

Big Ideas 

The fantastical club history behind the space at LPR. 

LPR’s unique take on mixing high and low art in order to redefine and integrate arts and culture from different backgrounds.

The monumental ways in which independent venues contribute to the economic and cultural wellbeing of cities and neighborhoods.

Links

(Le) Poisson Rouge

LPR on Instagram

(Le) Poisson Rouge Kickstarter

National Independent Venue Association

Save Our Stages

Venue Pilot

Andy Warhol Film

Nina Simone at the Village Gate

Music by Joakim Karud

http://www.joakimkarud.com

Behind the scene stories of the world's greatest live events.

You will go behind the stage of the best music festivals, the kitchen of celebrity chef tastings or the studio door to hear the stories of passion and inspiration that launched some of the world’s best festivals. 

Through FestivalPass Stories (FPS) you can experience ‘life lived live’ and hear the ‘why’ behind your favorite music, film, food, theater and sports events. 

Each week, FPS Host Pat Tully will bring his two decades of live event hosting experience to deliver a new story from a festival founder or the talent that drives event lovers, like you.

Topics of upcoming podcasts will include: 

• A new up and coming music sub-genre that is popular, but underserved.  How did the best music festivals come to be? 
  

• The Whiskey Master Blender: Like the conductor of an orchestra, it is the Master Blender’s role to weave consistent flavors that represent the purity of the legendary blend with different component parts that need to be balanced perfectly! 
  

• The story of family farmers and educating consumers about the agricultural importance of sustainable farming 
  

• A local politician who had an idea to drive community spirit in his town with an art/cultural festival that grew into one of the largest cultural festivals in the country 

Visit www.festivalpass.com/stories for more info.

Music by Joakim Karud

http://www.joakimkarud.com